The Judges

Karen has over 25 years’ experience in the legal, property and mortgage market. She has worked in several senior management positions which include three conveyancing panel management companies. Following the sale of Easier2move in 2010 (which Karen co-founded) to My Home Move (now Simplify), Karen took up the role of Corporate Sales Director.

Until recently, Karen was an owner and Director of Lawyer Checker, a company which provides risk management products to law firms.

Karen also co-founded Solve Legal, now known as Today’s Media, which incorporates three leading legal publications. Solve Legal introduced the British Wills and Probate Awards in addition to the British Conveyancing Awards which are now highly regarded in the legal sector calendar.

In 2011 David founded Baskerville Drummond to provide strategic advice and hands-on guidance to UK law firms. He has become the ‘go-to’ man for system selection, implementation and optimisation projects, and was an early pioneer of the ‘fractional IT director’ and ‘critical friend’ roles.

David has long specialised in complex IT projects, such as mergers and demergers, and for turning-around failing practice management systems or other challenging technology situations; a growing area in the Cloud era is helping firms address or move away from poorly performing outsourced hosting or support arrangements.

Ian Bond is director and head of Wills & Estates at Thursfields Solicitors as well as a member (and former Chair) of the Law Society of England & Wales’ Wills and Equity Committee. Ian is a contributor to the Law Society publication ‘The Probate Practitioners Handbook’; the 9th edition of which was published earlier in 2021. Ian champions the use of technology in the legal sector for the benefit of professionals and their clients; you can follow him on twitter @ianbondtep. 

Carrie is one of the co-founders and the Managing Director of Right Legal Group Limited, a private client focused ABS established in 2014.  Recognised for its forward thinking, innovative and commercial approach, RLG collaborates with law firms across the country to deliver its unique service called rightwill.  With a background in business management and finance working in both hospitality and the charity sectors prior to the launch of Right Legal Group, Carrie has led the development of RLG’s impressive infrastructure built upon firm business principles, putting staff development and client experience at the heart of its operation.

Jane qualified as a solicitor over 20 years ago. Jane is on a mission to raise awareness that marriage cancels Wills. Her personal story fuels her professional purpose. Jane has been published in The Telegraph, the Law Society Gazette and The Law Society. Jane is a member of the Law Society Private Client Section.  

Emily Deane TEP is Technical Counsel & Head of Government Affairs at STEP. She has practised as a private client and trust solicitor in the UK, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands specialising in all aspects of the private client industry including wills, property, tax planning, estate administration, onshore and offshore trusts and litigation. She joined STEP in 2016 and leads the policy team informing public policy in relation to trust and estate related issues.

Eleanor is a STEP member and on the committee of the STEP Wales branch, organising training events.  She has published articles and been quoted in the national press, and has spoken on national radio and podcasts.  She is recognised as a leading individual in the Chambers HNW and Legal 500 directories, where she is praised for her “excellent technical knowledge” and “strong leadership.

Alex’s background is in the legal profession and is a qualified solicitor, having been a litigation Partner at Hill Dickinson. He then founded and ran an executive search business, before joining a global outsourcing company to head up their strategic move into the legal sector. Alex joined the Cashroom in 2014 to lead the company’s Business Development. 

Dave has extensive experience in transforming and supporting the legal sector with digital solutions. He’s led multiple, successful companies including Global Attract and Experis Ltd and founded IT Futures. In total, Dave has over 25 years’ experience in the technology industry and is passionate about the opportunities brought by combining legal expertise with digital capability.

Clive is the founder of CTT Group, a leading multi-disciplinary support system for the UK’s Professional Adviser community. With almost two decades of expertise, CTT Group has developed a forward-thinking approach to will writing, employing bespoke software to provide an unrivalled service to clients.

Clive has worked in the Will Writing sector for more than two decades, after a very successful career as a mining engineer. In this time, he has become a full member (TEP) of STEP, the leading international association for Wills, Trusts, and Estate practitioners, as well as being appointed to the Leaders Council of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Clive is also the founder and owner of the following companies: Countrywide Tax and Trust Corporation Ltd, CTT Accountancy, CTT Private Client and CTT Law, an SRA Regulated firm and strategic partner to CTT Group.